1 Overlooked Gem Song From Every Beatles Album

Peter Jackson’s recent documentary Get Back follows The Beatles attempt to write a whole new album from scratch ready for a live performance. At one point George Harrison wonders aloud if they’ll be playing any of their earlier numbers.

At which point he breaks into the riff from Every Little Thing, describing it as, “a good one.” It’s a cool moment and nice to think that after all the big hits and critically acclaimed tracks the band had recorded in the interim, George still recalled this relatively early number.

The song’s chorus is accented by timpani drum adding a touch of drama reminiscent of 1950s girl groups. Though the song has a seemingly upbeat lyric, the vocals and arrangement hints an emotional unrest that elevates the track above a simple love song and lends it a real emotional heft.

The use of timpani marks one of the first uses of non-rock instrumentation on a Beatles recording, something they would push further and further on future releases. It’s also a rare Lennon/McCartney song that sees its chief composer(McCartney) cede the recording’s most prominent vocal to his songwriting partner, though McCartney harmonises throughout.